ST. PAUL Gov. Mark Dayton’s appeal in his 2014 State of the State address for a larger bonding bill to pay for construction projects isn’t likely to get needed support from Republicans, St. Cloud-area legislators said.

Dayton, a DFLer, gave the address to legislators Wednesday at the state Capitol.

Passage of a bonding bill to fund construction projects is among the key unresolved items in the 2014 legislative session. At least a handful of Republicans must vote for such a bill because it requires a supermajority to pass.

Dayton on Wednesday night urged legislators to support a $1.2 billion bonding bill, saying projects such as a $71 million water pipeline in southwest Minnesota require a bill of that size.

Legislative leaders from both parties last year agreed on an $850 million price tag for a bonding bill in 2014.

Reps. Tama Theis, Tim O’Driscoll and Jeff Howe said after the address that they and their Republican colleagues almost certainly won’t back a bill larger than the agreed-upon $850 million figure.

The area’s lone DFLer, St. Cloud Rep. Zachary Dorholt, said he didn’t “have the highest hopes” for a bill of that size, although he praised Dayton for pushing it.

“It would be nice, but probably not likely,” Dorholt said.

To St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis, Dayton’s call for a larger bonding bill made sense. Kleis, who attended the address at the invitation of Dayton’s office, is lobbying lawmakers for bonding money to expand River’s Edge Convention Center.

He said lawmakers should seize the chance to fund a backlog of projects while construction costs and interest rates are low.

O’Driscoll, R-Sartell, said Dayton’s remarks seemed uninspired and, at times, like a “farewell speech.” Dayton repeatedly has declared he will seek a second term this fall.

“I don’t think the governor looked healthy tonight. Physically, he looked very tired and a little unsure on his feet and a little unsure with his message,” O’Driscoll said. “I was concerned at times with his well-being during his speech.”

Dayton, 67, delayed the speech by a week as he recovers from a major hip surgery in February.

Dayton mentioned WFSI of Sauk Rapids as part of a list of Minnesota businesses he said are creating jobs “partly as a result of their financial partnerships with the state and local governments.”

WFSI, a welding and manufacturing company, recently announced it will add 32 jobs in the next three years.

The company has benefited from a $300,000 state grant to St. Cloud Technical & Community College, which will be used to train its workers there, as well as a $250,000 loan from Benton County and a $200,000 grant from the Minnesota Investment Fund.

Dayton revealed during the address that he’s asking the Department of Education to analyze all tests given to Minnesota students to see which ones could be streamlined or eliminated.

Dorholt said he was delighted to hear that announcement. But Theis, R-St. Cloud, had a different take.

“I’m always skeptical about that, because I think our biggest barometer is the testing,” she said.

Dayton said in the address that transportation funding must be a priority for lawmakers in 2015. That puzzled Howe, R-Rockville, who sits on a House transportation finance panel. He said Dayton and DFL lawmakers could address the problem this year by spending part of the state budget surplus on roads and bridges.

“If he thinks that’s the priority, if he thinks that’s an economic engine, where was he?” Howe said.